Learn how to design your own Sunday Self-Care routine to make the most of your time off. Find a basic template for your self-care day and get ideas for activities you can do to address every type of self-care.
Growing up, my Monday to Saturday schedule was absolutely packed!
I would go to school and then fill my entire evening schedule with extra-curricular activities.
Saturdays were designated as homework days for me to tackle all of the work I didn’t have time for throughout the week.
I also had a part-time job that filled the rest of my Saturday.
Now, I wouldn’t recommend this schedule for anyone but I did have one thing that made the whole routine a lot easier to manage- my Sundays.
My Sundays were the epitome of restoration.
When I could, I said no to every obligation that landed on that date. I attended church but my schedule past that moment was completely free.
Using my Sundays as a rest day was such a life-saver.
I always looked forward to taking a break at the end of each week and this break left me feeling more prepared and motivated for the week ahead.
No matter what your schedule looks like, I would highly recommend that everyone protects one day each week for rest and recharging.
Today, I want to share with you my own template for a Sunday Self-Care routine that will help you balance your time so that you are attending to every type of self-care.
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Why is self-care so important?
There are a lot of reasons to prioritize self-care in your life.
Some of those reasons feel like common sense. For example, resting before a work week seems a natural thing to do in order to keep your energy up.
But there are even scientific reasons why we are encouraged to prioritize self-care weekly.
Reasons to prioritize self-care:
- Lower stress levels overall
- Reduces inflammation and risk of heart disease
- Gives you a stronger immune system so you don’t end up sick as often
- Improved focus, creativity, and productivity when you return to work
- Improved short-term memory
Want to know where I got this information? Check out this resource: A Day of Rest: 12 Scientific Reasons It Works
What does Self-Care Sunday mean?
The concept of Sunday self-care might be something you’ve seen already on social media. Some people call them Sunday Reset Routines while others call them GYST Days. Others like to go with the term Admin Days.
Regardless of the name, the concept remains the same.
It is the idea that you take one day every week and designate it to self-care.
For most people, this day involves a series of activities that foster relaxation and help you to get your life back in order.
Just because the popular name involves Sunday, however, doesn’t mean that these activities must fall on a Sunday. If another day works better for you, then you can do it then!
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How do you de-stress on a Sunday?
This answer will vary depending on what makes you feel good! I mean, I’m not going to recommend a warm bath if you prefer showers.
Your self-care Sunday should involve things that make you happy and should ideally address all 6 types of self-care, not just emotional self-care.
One thing that is important to remember as you plan your own self-care Sunday, however, is that you should refrain from any typical work routines that day in order to de-stress more effectively.
Don’t check your work emails are make work calls on this day.
You can still work in the typical sense but not anything that you do for your paying job. Take a break from it for optimal rest.
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What can I do for self-care on Sunday?
So far, I’ve only really told you what you can’t do during Sunday self-care but what options are left to you?
I would recommend you choose a few activities from each category of self-care so that you have a more balanced day.
Types of self-care you should address during Sunday self-care:
- Emotional Self-Care: activities that help you notice your thoughts and feelings
- Physical Self-Care: activities that tend to your physical health
- Practical Self-Care: tasks that prevent future stress
- Mental Self-Care: activities that keep your brain in optimal health
- Social Self-Care: time spend connecting with friends and family
- Spiritual Self-Care: activities that nurture the spirit
I would recommend paying attention to these 6 types of self-care for a more effective day.
Additionally, instead of high-intensity activities, try to do all of the calm versions of these types of self-care.
It will help to keep you in a calm mood throughout the day so that you don’t wind up stressed at the end of it.
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13 general activities for the perfect self-care Sunday routine
Later on, I will be sharing a detailed list of self-care ideas that you can try for your self-care Sunday routine, but first I want to share a simple foundation to start with.
These activities are all general, broad activities that you should try to include in every single Sunday self-care routine.
1. Sleep in
Getting a little extra sleep on your self-care day addresses your physical and mental self-care.
It ensures that you’re already starting your day with a bit of extra physical healing.
There is no need to sleep in until noon or force yourself to get up late if you naturally want to be out of bed earlier.
I would recommend simply turning off your alarm the night before and getting up when you wake up naturally.
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2. Wake up slowly
This activity will look different for everyone but it is great for emotional self-care as it starts your day off in a relaxed state.
For some people, waking up slowly might mean hanging out in bed for a while.
For others, it might mean getting up and doing their morning routine in less of a rush than they usually do.
Personally, my idea of waking up slowly is to make a cup of coffee and go back to my bed so that I can read or watch a tv show.
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3. Have a rejuvenating shower
If you like baths, this would be a good time to swap your regular shower for a warm bath time.
If not, then simply creating a more relaxing atmosphere for your shower is great for your emotional, physical, and spiritual self-care.
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4. Eat a simple (but delicious) breakfast
If cooking is something that you enjoy, then creating a simple breakfast isn’t necessary- just focus on making it enjoyable and hearty.
However, if cooking is not your thing, then a complicated breakfast is just going to add more stress.
For Sunday self-care, try to make a meal that doesn’t require a lot of dishes or effort so that you don’t feel like it’s just extra work.
And try your best to make it delicious and full of nutrients! You’re not doing your body any favours by eating junk food all day.
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5. Do a spiritual activity
Depending on your own spiritual journey, this activity will look different. It might involve visiting a place of worship, doing private worship, or connecting to nature.
There are so many ways that you can approach this but the main goal is to do something that helps you reconnect with your spirit.
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6. Do a physical activity
I personally prefer my physical activity on self-care Sunday to be calming and a little less aggressive than my normal workout routine but if a calm physical activity doesn’t make you feel good, then any other form of activity will work just as well!
It is important to remember that Sunday self-care isn’t about sitting around all day.
It is not going to serve your body to use the entire day as an excuse to ignore its regular needs.
Whatever activity you decide to do, make sure that it gets your body moving.
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7. Take time for social activities
Depending on your preferences, your social time might be something big and exciting or it might be a simple coffee date with a friend. Or perhaps it’s simply a text message to someone you haven’t seen in a while.
Regardless of what it is, it’s good for your social self-care to set apart some time in your day to connect with the people around you.
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8. Take a moment to reflect
It can be really easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and completely lose track of how you are feeling and what progress you are making.
For this reason, it can be extremely helpful for your personal growth and mental health to set aside purposeful time each week to notice how you are doing.
Take time to review your goals and pause long enough to understand how you are doing as a whole.
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9. Prepare for the week ahead
This is the task that you might see someone else doing and assume it’s work but it is actually a form of self-care called practical self-care.
It simply means that you are doing tasks that will help ease your stress later on.
For some people, that involves meal prepping for the week. For others, it might mean catching up on chores that have gotten left behind.
Whatever it is for you, take some time to do a favour for your future self and get it done!
Just don’t let yourself get stressed by it.
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10. Eat a one-pot or crockpot meal for dinner
This has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember and it really helps to keep the relaxed atmosphere of the day.
By doing a one-pot or crockpot meal, you are putting minimal effort into your meal and won’t have a pile of dishes to do at the end of the day, making it the perfect Sunday self-care dinner!
11. Do a digital detox
This is another great staple for your Sunday self-care routine because it makes it clear in your mind that this day is set aside for rest.
A digital detox can be something you do for the entire day or simply for a couple of hours and it will be sure to give your mind the break it needs.
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12. Read or do something else without a screen
Aside from a digital detox, make an effort to do something without a bright screen an hour or two before bedtime.
This will make it a lot easier to have a good sleep when you do finally go to bed.
You might even consider saving certain books for your self-care Sunday.
For example, perhaps you have a self-help book that you like to save for your self-care day or a light read that is just a guilty pleasure.
Make it something you will look forward to every week!
13. Go to bed early or on time to start your week strong
This is another great thing to do on your self-care Sunday to ensure that you start your week off on the right foot.
If you can, go to bed at a reasonable hour so that you can start your week feeling rested and ready to work!
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Now that you have the foundation for your Sunday self-care routine figured out, let me share with you some quick self-care ideas that you can try yourself!
60 Sunday self-care ideas for every type of self-care
In the lists below, you will find 10 self-care ideas for each type of self-care. Mix and match the different activities to create the perfect self-care Sunday for you!
Below each category, I also share a couple of Sunday self-care products that I like to use for each type of self-care.
Sunday activities for emotional self-care
- Do a journal reflection about how your week went
- Make time to enjoy a quiet hobby
- Set new goals that get you excited about the coming week
- Play music that reflects how you’re feeling that day
- Colour in an adult colouring book
- Decide on a personal mantra that you will use throughout the week
- Read a psychology or philosophy book
- Listen to a motivational speaker or watch calming YouTube videos
- Schedule time this week for rest
- Write out a list of things you were grateful for this week or things you’re looking forward to next week
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Sunday activities for practical self-care
- Tidy up the house so it’s comfortable for you
- Go through any paper piles you didn’t get to throughout the week
- Do a Brain Dump so you know all of the things you want to get done throughout the week
- Bullet journal or fill in your agenda
- Pick something on your to-do list you’ve been ignoring and get it done
- Organize an area that has felt cluttered to you lately
- Do some relaxing yard work
- Make plans for things you want to do in the future
- Clean and charge all of your electronics
- Pay any outstanding bills
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Sunday activities for physical self-care
- Do a yin yoga session
- Go for a walk or a hike
- Have a stretch session
- Get a massage or do self-massage
- Eat a nutritious meal
- Drink herbal tea in the sunlight
- Trim your nails, shave, wash your hair (practice good hygiene)
- Go to a sauna or steam room
- Take a nap
- Roll out your muscles with a foam roller
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Sunday activities for mental self-care
- Do a sudoku puzzle
- Do a crossword puzzle
- Read a book
- Eat healthy brain foods
- Learn something new
- Practice a new language
- Play a challenging videogame
- Watch a thought-provoking movie
- Play a mentally challenging board game
- Do an activity with your non-dominant hand
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Sunday activities for social self-care
- Enjoy a coffee date with a friend
- Play a board game with someone
- Visit a museum with someone
- Share a meal with someone
- Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while
- Engage with an online community
- Attend a social event
- Go people-watching
- Chat with a stranger
- Help out at a charity event
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Sunday activities for spiritual self-care
- Read a spiritual text
- Spend time in prayer
- Go to a religious service
- Visit a loved one who has passed away
- Offer your help to someone in need
- Practice gratitude
- Take special care of another living thing (a plant or a pet)
- Take time for solitude
- Listen to worship music
- Memorize a quote or verse that inspires you
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I hope that these Sunday self-care ideas have gotten you excited to try out your own Sunday routine! Experiment with the multitude of options and see what you enjoy most!
And remember, this isn’t a legalistic routine.
It’s supposed to be something that makes you feel rested and ready for the week ahead.
If your Sunday self-care routine isn’t making you feel this way, then you need to readjust what you’re doing until you feel good about it.
Do you have a self-care Sunday routine? What self-care activities do you like to do?
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